Smith Pond Bog Bridge Replacement: A Full-Circle Moment
Hypertherm Associates with UVLT staff after completing the bog bridge replacement project at Smith Pond, October 2025.
Bog bridges—those humble, essential planks that keep our boots dry—just got a much-needed upgrade at the Smith Pond Shaker Forest Conservation Area. After years of weathering New Hampshire’s seasons, a section of the aging bridges was due for replacement. UVLT purchased the lumber and materials needed for the project with support from a generous grant from the
Hypertherm HOPE Foundation.
But the support didn’t stop there—13 Hypertherm employees joined our Stewardship team this October for a volunteer workday. Together, they carried materials, cut boards, and assembled more than 20 brand-new bog bridges, ensuring feet stay dry and happy and sensitive wet areas aren’t trampled.
In a touching full-circle moment, a few volunteers realized they had helped install the original bridges back in 2018. Their return highlighted the strength of our ongoing partnership with Hypertherm Associates and their continued dedication to enhancing our local trails—one bridge at a time.
Hypertherm employees and UVLT staff after volunteering at Smith Pond in 2018.
Laying down new boards for bog bridges.
